Hey all -
After some trial and error, we have finally been able to strain/separate our spent mash. We ferment and distill on the grain with the grain milled to a fine flour. I have attached an image of what the spent mash looked like after one day. It ended up being somewhere between a batter and jello in consistency. Unfortunately after a weekend of sitting in the distillery there was noticeable mold growing on the top surface of the mash. Our farmer is (not surprisingly) concerned about the mold as are we. It seems pigs are much more sensitive to mold than dairy cows. Our hope was just do do one weekly delivery/pickup of grain meaning that at least a part of the mash would sit from Monday to Friday.
I am just curious what everyone else's experience is with spent grain shelf life?
I assume if we cover the mash it will last longer?
Does the fact that we are using flour and not a coarse grind make it mold faster?
Are there preservatives anyone is using the prevent mold/bacteria growth?
How much do your farmers care about freshness/mold? Is there an acceptable level?
Input/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!